Propeller



July 10, 1934.

G. C. WALTERS, JR

PROPELLER Filed Sept. 5, 1953 Invenlor Georye C Walter's, Jr.

flllomey Patented July 10, 1934 I as: P ENTwe:

, Application September 5,1933, Serial No. 688,203 I I 5Claims. (o1. 170 9). i

My invention relates generally to propellers of the pusher and of the tractor-type, and an important object of my invention is to so form such a. propeller as to'increase its dynamic effect upon the air or other fluid in which it operates, so as-to require less. speed of rotation, or conversely, to increase the'power'thereofat" the same speed of rotation, so as to greatly increase the speed of the airplane or other vehicle at the same engine speed.

It is also an important object of my invention to provide a propeller of the character described above which greatly increases the speedof an airplane equipped therewith at a much reduced expenditure of power, compared to conventional type of propellers.

Other objects and advantages of my invention will be apparent from a reading of the following description in connection with the drawing, wherein for purposes of illustration I have shown a preferred embodiment of my invention.

In the drawing:-

Figure 1 is a side elevational view of an embodiment of the invention showing in phantom lines a portion of an aeroplane upon which it is shown to be mounted.

Figure 2 is a rear elevational view of the embodiment.

Figure 3 is a transverse vertical sectional view through Figure 1 taken approximately on the line 33 looking in the direction of the arrows.

Figure 4 is a detailed sectional view.

Referring in detail to the drawing, wherein like numerals refer to like parts throughout the same, the numeral 5 refers generally to a conventional type of aeroplane including the propeller shaft 6 to which the propeller of my invention generally designated 7 is bolted or otherwise suitably connected as indicated.

My propeller comprises the elongated hub portion 8 having on its rear end the flanged head 9 for bolting to the head of the propeller shaft 6. The length of the elongated hub portion 8 may be as much or more than half the length of N the distance from tip to tip of the propeller blades. The propeller is constructed of any suitable metal or other similarly suitable material.

The forward extension portion generally designated 10 extends from a zero width at 11 to almost a maximum tip to tip distance of the propeller blades at the point indicated by the numeral 12, and the curvature starts at zero at the point 11 and merges gradually with the curvature shown particularly well in Figure 3 to the blades 13, 14. The extension portions on either side of the hub portion 8 are angularly"and'longitudinally scalloped as indicated in the drawing,- the inner portion of each scallop'havin'g a relatively 'slight'curvature as indicated at lfi in "Fig'u're4. These corrugations or; iflut'ingsor scallopings reach the'front' ofthe blades 13f1'4 at a DOint nearer the forward edges 17, 18 than the rearward edges 19, 20. The open rear ends of the flutings 21 are arranged to open at the back of the blades between the points 22, 23 and the rearward edges 19, as indicated in Figure 2.

The above described arrangement, with the propeller portion 7 having approximately the same pitch as the propeller blades, ,forms a means for banking the air or other fluid so as to compact it together into a denser mass before it hits the propeller blades proper, so as to give the propeller an increased dynamic effect upon the air.

It will also be observed that my manner of fluting the propeller portion 7 greatly increases the strength and rigidity thereof, without adding weight which is not usefully employed and that the outer edge of each portion 10 is substantially flat.

Although I have shown and described herein a preferred embodiment of my invention, it is to be definitely understood that I do not desire to limit the application of the invention thereto, and any change or changes may be made in material and structure and arrangement of parts, within the spirit of the invention and the scope of the subjoined claims.

What is claimed is:-

1. In combination, an elongated propeller hub, a pair of propeller blades on the hub, and a pair of triangular wings of opposite curving cross section having one edge secured to and extending along the hub and another edge secured to the forward edge of the adjacent propeller blades, for conpacting fluid against said blades to increase the effectiveness thereof, said wings being longitudinally and angularly, fluted, each fluting having its radially outward edge portion produced with a greater curvature than its radially inward edge portion.

2. In a propeller, an elongated hub having wing members secured thereto, each wing member comprising a triangular transversely curved plate having its base edge portion fastened to the hub, its hypotenuse edge portion arranged radially outwardly of said. hub, and its altitude edge portion rearwardly of the front of the hub, said plate having flutings extending substantially parallel to said hypotenuse edge portion and merging into said hub at longitudinally spaced points thereof, the rear ends of said flutings terminating forwardly of the altitude edge portion of said plate, said altitude edge portion being unfiuted.

3. In a propeller, an elongated hub having wing members secured thereto, each wing member comprising a triangular transversely curved plate having its base edge portion fastened to the hub, its hypotenuse edge portion arranged radially outwardly of said hub, and its altitude edge portion rearwardly of the front of the hub, said plate having flutings extending substantially parallel to said hypotenuse edge portion and merging into said hub at longitudinally spaced points thereof, the rear ends of said flutings terminating forwardly of the altitude edge portion of said plate, said altitude edge portion being unfluted, said flutings having their radially outward portions curved more sharply than their radially inward portions.

4. In a propeller, an elongated hub having wing members secured thereto, each wing member comprising a triangular transversely curved plate hav- 3 ing its base edge portion fastened to the hub, its

hypotenuse edge portion arranged radially outwardly of said hub, and its altitude edge portion rearwardly of the front of the hub, said plate having flutings extending substantially parallel to said hypotenuse edge portion and merging into said hub at longitudinally spaced points thereof, the rear ends of said flutings terminating forwardly of the altitude edge portion of said plate, said altitude edge portion being unfluted, said wing members being integrally formed of sheet metal.

5. In a propeller, an elongated hub having wing members secured thereto, each wing member comprising a triangular transversely curved plate having its base edge portion fastened to the hub, its hypotenuse edge portion arranged radially outwardly of said hub, and its altitude edge portion rearwardly of the front of the hub, said plate having flutings extending substantially parallel to said hypotenuse edge portion and merging into said hub at longitudinally spaced points thereof, the rear ends of said flutings terminating forwardly of the altitude edge portion of said plate, said altitude edge portion being unfiuted, said wing members being integrally formed of sheet metal, and said flutings being formed by indenting one side of said plate in a manner to correspondingly emboss the opposite side of the plate.

GEORGE C. WALTERS, JR. 

